Germany does not plan to support a request made by field commanders for more AWACS reconnaissance aircraft in Afghanistan, Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said on Sunday.
Westerwelle said the decision would be no surprise for allies as he had informed the top commander of U.S and Nato forces in Afghanistan, General David Petraeus, of it weeks ago during a visit to Berlin.
"We made it clear to our partners early on that we will not take part, as our main focus is on local training," he said. Petraeus requested the additional aircraft from Nato late last year. German media have reported that increased AWACS capability would require Berlin to send about 100 additional troops to Afghanistan to man the flying radar stations.
Germany's deployment in Afghanistan is already unpopular with public opinion, and a decision to send any new detachment could be blocked in parliament due to conflict over its mandate and funding.
The United States, which currently flies AWACS surveillance missions over Afghanistan using its own planes, overhauled its Afghan strategy last year. A review last month found US and Nato forces were making headway against the Taliban and al Qaeda but that serious challenges remain.
Governments in Europe and the United States are seeking an end to the long, expensive war, and Nato leaders agreed at a summit in Lisbon in November to end combat operations and hand security responsibility to Afghan forces by the end of 2014.
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